Kanako Urashima (浦島 可奈子, Urashima Kanako) is Keitaro's younger step-sister, while Keitaro was studying abroad, Kanako was sent by Hina Urashima to act as temporary manager of the Hinata Apartments. Her black cat, Kuro, accompanies her wherever she goes.
Appearance
Kanako prefers to conduct herself professionally in whatever she does; as such she maintains a strict/serious air about her that often alienates the more relaxed tenants of the Hinata dorms.
Preferring to wear clothes of a more elegant, gothic trend; Kanako’s hobby of performing impersonations, which she has perfected to an art, leads her to wear whatever is required to impersonate her target. She even wears a turtle costume at one stage to take advantage of Motoko Aoyama’s turtle phobia.
Training with her grandmother in the Urashima Style of Jujutsu has also led to Kanako becoming a formidable martial artist; able to match her skills with the likes of Motoko Aoyama on several occasions.
Plot
Arriving at the Hinata Apartments six months after Keitaro left to study abroad, Kanako immediately sets to studying the apartments and its residents in preparation for its transformation into an Inn.
Disguising herself as Naru while she was away, Kanako conducted some more invasive research (such as physically checking Kitsune’s breast size, Shinobu’s panties and Motoko’s sexual preference). She was eventually discovered, however, when the real Naru returned only to receive the backlash from Kanako-Naru’s invasions.
Announcing herself as the new landlord in her brother’s absence, Kanako attempted to explain that she was shutting down the apartments and changing it back into an Inn, however the girls leaped to the conclusion that she was shutting down and demolishing the building (due to the arrival of construction crews) and attempted to disrupt the construction crews only to be individually subdued by Kanako.
When she managed to reveal her plans to the Hinata residents she allowed them to stay if they worked as employees for the Inn. However, the girls buckle under various circumstances and one by one leave until only Naru and Kanako remained, although they all eventually returned to support each other as a family.
Despite attempts to get along, various misunderstandings and Kanako’s desire to have her brother to herself; not to mention her inset hatred towards the “Promise Girl”, the Hinata dorms eventually fell into chaos with Kitsune and her supporters vying for control of the dormitory against Kanako and her supporters. Before the dorms were destroyed, however, Keitaro’s timely return ceased the conflict however it brought up a rivalry between Kanako and Naru over Keitaro.
The rivalry intensified when Keitaro accidentally proposed to Kanako (thinking she was Naru) in the Forbidden Annex. Despite the Annex’s magic, Keitaro continued pursuing Naru; breaking the spell and declaring to Kanako that he only saw her as a sister despite her feelings about him.
In the anime, Keitaro's proposal to Kanako was different between the manga. Keitaro mentioned the Forbidden Annex. He said they will go to the Annex together so Kanako will not be lonely anymore.
When she arrived, she disguised herself as Naru and began taunting the residents of Hinata House and claimed to be the new manager during Keitaro's absence. She set very strict rules the other went to the annex Naru told her they went to annex Kanako use Mecha-Tama and attack the conflict end in Keitaro return
Keitaro decided to take responsibility as the manager. Kanako sent the girls out so she and Keitaro could be alone, but was stopped by Naru when she learned about Keitaro's relationship with Naru. Keitaro did not consider it and tried invite Naru to the Annex so the rivalry between the two would stop. Keitaro accidently proposed to Kanako, thinking it was Naru. When Naru arrived in the Annex, Keitaro tried to grab the ring, but it dropped on the floor. Naru picked it up and Keitaro mentioned that he meant to give it to her. Naru was about to try it on but it disappeared. Kanako smiled and said, "It looks like I'm the winner!"
Keitaro tried to break the magic of the Forbidden Annex when Naru saw the ring in front of the annex tried to get it. Once the magic of the Annex was under control, Motoko, Su and the other girls asked Naru about her feelings for Keitaro, but she did not answer. Instead, she ran away, punching Keitaro in the process. When Kanako treated him, he mentioned the fact that he wanted to propose to Naru and grew angry because Kanako disguised herself as Naru. As Keitaro was about to ask Naru once more, Kanako ran away because she thought the disguise of Naru would be enough to fool Keitaro, but he knew who she really was and said she was good sister. Kanako eventually decided to let Naru have Keitaro.
Character Design
Kanako was initially supposed to be Chinese, an idea that was scrapped fairly quickly. Other than that, her design didn't change that much from the initial plan, aside from her being a bit taller than originally intended.
Love Hina was supposed to finish after Keitaro got into Tokyo University, but it was more successful than he realized and his editors wanted the series to continue. When he found that he didn't have any way to create tension/conflict with the characters he had by now, he introduced Kanako Urashima in a way to "bring closure" to the story, just like he did with the character Yayoi Kobe in A.I. Love You.
Gallery
Trivia
- Before his arrival to Hinata House, Keitaro received Valentine's Day chocolates from Kanako, but since it was from his sister, they didn't count.
- Kanako's height and BWH Measurements are 160cm, B81-W58-H82 as of Chapter 1 and 162cm, B82-W58-H83 as of Chapter 120.
- While Kanako occupies Keitaro’s room during his absence, it is unknown which room she lives in during the manga after his return to the Hinata Apartments. Though, it is revealed that, in the anime, she has moved into a room in the Hinata Café.
- In the anime, Kanako’s appearance is often accompanied by the sound of a bell carried on the tail of her cat, Kuro.
- According to Love Hina Mugendai, Kanako disguised herself 12 times throughout the manga's run.
- In addition to her skill with impersonations, Kanako is also an accomplished ventriloquist.
- Kanako as a child looks almost identical to Nodoka Miyazaki from Mahou Sensei Negima.
- During her investigations of the apartments, Kanako managed to find and acquire Mecha-Tama Zero and used it on various occasions against the Hinata girls. In the anime she finds and acquires the mini-Mecha-Tamas to use against the residents instead.
- Kanako's profile of her after the events of Love Hina from Love Hina Mugendai is as follows:
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